In the city of Panama, Mr. José Arana and Felipe Carbonell, after analyzing the necessities of the agents of load of the region, created the Federación de Agentes de Carga de América Latina y el Caribe “ALACAT”.

In Panamá City, Mr. José Arana and Mr. Felipe Carbonell agreed to start up the Federation, they invited all the National Associations of America to the first congress of ALACAT, on June 12 of 1982, in the city of Sao Paulo, Brasil, organized by ABACA (Brazilian Association of Cargo Agents).

The following Delegations attended this congress: Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Ecuador, Perú , Brasil and Colombia. Delegates of the FETEIA (Spanish Federation) were invited. During this event, Mr. Felipe Carbonell was elected president. The Board of Directors was also designated, and it was made up of: AAACA (Argentina), ABACA (Brazil), ACHIAC (Chile), APACIT (Perú), ASCAIATA (Colombia) and AUDACA (Uruguay).

The Statutes were approved during this first congress. The following Congress took place in the city of Cartagena, in May of 1983. All the Associations of South America were there, and additionally the associations from México (AMACARGA), Panamá and Dominican Republic.

There were also delegates from FETEIA and from the Association of Agents of Portugal, as special guests; during this congress, these associations were accepted as honorary members of ALACAT.